The spokesperson for the Democratic Bloc, Mohamed Zakaria Farajallah, said Sunday that a statement attributed to the bloc regarding the ongoing indirect meetings in Addis Ababa with the “Quint Mechanism” — comprising the African Union, the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union, and the League of Arab States — does not reflect the bloc’s consensus and was not issued with the approval of all its members or through completion of established institutional procedures.
In a brief clarification, Farajallah stated that the bloc’s official position would be announced in a subsequent statement following a meeting of its competent structures for deliberation and collective decision-making.
Earlier on Sunday, Democratic Bloc spokesperson Juma Al-Wakeel had declared that the bloc did not participate in the meeting held in Addis Ababa and had not sent any delegation to represent it. He further stated that no announcement, assignment, or authorization had been issued to any individual or entity to represent the bloc in those consultations.
Al-Wakeel added that no prior coordination had taken place with the bloc’s institutions or leadership regarding the meeting, nor had its agenda or arrangements been presented to them. He noted that if individuals affiliated with some components of the Democratic Bloc did participate, they did so in their personal or organizational capacities and in no way represent the bloc’s official position or institutions.
